Stair-lift.



Patented Dec. l2, |899.

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J M D 0 D G E S T Al R Ll F T (Application led Aug. 5, 1899.)

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(No Model.)

Patented Dec. l2, |899.

J. M. DODGE.

STAIH LIFT.

(Applction led Aug. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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NTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES M. DODGE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

S'l'AlR-LIFT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,1 54, dated December 12, 1899. Application filed August 5, 1899. Serial No. 726,221. (No model.)

ITo all whom t ntcty concern.-

Beit known that I, JAMES M. DODGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Stair-Lifts, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to certain improvements in endless-belt conveyers which are so guided on the carrying run as to form the treads and risers of ,a moving stairway, or, more properly, a stair-lift.

The object of my invention is to so construct the belt that it can be flexed not only at the pivot-points to form the treads and risers, but also between these points, for the purpose which I will describe hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my iniproved stair-lift. Fig. 2 is a perspective View in diagram. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing a portion of one step and adjoining risers. Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a View showing the belt passing around the upper roller. Fig. G is a plan view of a portion of the upper roller. Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 7 7, Fig. 1. Figs. 8, 9, and l0 are views of different forms of links, and Figs. l1 and 12 are views showing the form of links used at the front edge of tread.

A is an endless belt, made up in the present instance of a series of links a, hinged together by pins b, passing through depending portions a of the links, so as to form a continuous surface. These links are capable of moving on their pivots to a certain extent, for the purpose fully described hereinafter. Arranged at given distances apart are a series of pivots B. These pivots carry at their outer ends rollers or lwheels which are adapted to fixed guideways. The pivots are secured to the links of the belt-in the present instance by rings h. These rings encircle the pivots and have perforated projections through which the pivot-pins h pass. The pivots are preferably secured to two pivot-pins, as shown in Fig. 3. The structure therefore consists of an endless belt having pivots at given distances apart, the pivots in the presentinstance extending beyond the edges of the belt, and the belt is so constructed as to be capable of being flexed between the pivots.

D D' are guideways for the pivots. These two guideways merge into each other at either end of the stair-lift and connect with a return-guide D2, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

E is a gap sprocket-wheel situated at the upper end of the stair-lift. ThisA wheel is small and engages with the pivot-pins of each link. The pivot-rods B rest in the gap, as shown in Fig. 5. The sprocket-wheel is driven in any suitable manner.

At the lower end of the stair-lift I preferably provide a drum F, which is, in fact, an idler and is simply for the purpose of carrying the belt from the return-guideway to the elevating-guideways. Recesses are formed in this drum for the reception of the pivots and preferably for the reception of the pivotpins of the links.

It will be noticed that the upper floor or landing I is arranged slightly below the upper surface of the belt as it passes around the roller, so that it is impossible for anything to catch between the belt and the floor. The lower floor I is slightly below the level of the belt, but maybe on the same plane.

The guideway D has a channel d', into which extends the end of the pivots B,which may be provided with rollers. By this arrangement the pivots B will pass through the guideway D, while the pivots Bf will pass through the guideway D', so as to form the steps. The deflection takes place at a point at or near the lower floor, and the rollers are so arranged that alternate pivots travel in the diiferent guideways, so that treads and risers are formed. For instance, the rollers at the outer edge of the treads travel in the guideway D, while the rollers at the inner edge of the treads travel in the guideway D. Thus it will be seen that as the belt passes from the `idler-drum F rst a tread is formed, then a riser, then a tread, and so on, and a person can step onto the stair-lift during the forming of the treads. The risers always being at an angle will prevent a person stepping on that portion of the belt.

It will be noticed that theriser-sections do not assume a vertical position, as in an ordinary stairway, but preferably remain in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. l. By

this arrangement the treads can be made narrow; but the space between the treads is in- IOO creased, so as to give sufficient room between one passen ger and another.

When the tread upon which the passenger is carried reaches the top of the stair-lift, the passenger can readily step onto the landing and the belt, which is flexible between the pivots, will disappeararound the gapsprocketwheel and return, thus taking up Very little room at the upper landing.

I preferably form the belt of a series of inetallic links of the forms shown in Figs. 8, 9, I0, 1l, and 12, and I may make these either of forged or malleable castings. Each link consists of a body portion a and depending wings a at each side, the wings being of the form shown, so that they will lap. The pivotpins b pass through openings in the wings. Each link has a tongue a2, which underlaps the body Iportion Ct'o'f the adjoining ylink, so that the belt will have a'continuous surface. rlhe tongues are so proportioned that they will uuderlap the depending -lin-k when lthe belt turns around the gap sprock-eb-wheel E. The link shown in Fig. S is that used forthe body of the belt between the pivots B and B', while the ,pair of links shown in Figs. 9 and 10 are usedrat the junction of the inner end 'of the tread and the lower portion of :the riser., as indicated at 1 and 2, Fig. 3. The edges of the link 2 are cutaway and the surface a3 of the link l is beveled, so that when the riser is formed the link 2 can pass over the link 1, as indicated in Fig. 3. The lin-ks, as shown in Figs. 1l and 12, (indicated 'by the numerals 3 and e in Fig. 3,) are placed at -the vjunction of the riser land the outer ledge of 4the tread, and the tongue a2 of the l-i-nk 3-extends lthe full width of the tread, and

the depending portions a of the -lin-k 4 are undercut at a4 to receive this tongue, so that there 'will be no opening at .the outer edge of the .tread and the tongue is -of sufficient length to vunderlap the adjoining link when turning around the gap sprocket-wheel E. It will be understood that other forms of links :may be used Without departing from the main feature of my invention. Thus 4it -will Abe seen that ythe endless belt is -made up :of a number of linkscou pled together by the pins b, the link at the joints of the treads with the :risers being so formed that there will be as little lopening .as possible at `these points.

It will beunderstood that in some instances instead of makingthe belt of pivoted links, las shown, it may be made of any flexible material, such as leather, and so formed that the treads will support the load; but Iprefer to use -the links, VasI can form them in such a Ymanner that they will readily yield in one direction, but be perfectly rigid and support the load in the opposite direction, and, furthermore, the construction is comparatively cheap and substantial.

I claim as my inventionq l. In a stai1'lift,the combination of a series-of treads and risers hinged together, each tread and riser being flexible, substantially as described.

2. Ina stair-lift, the combination of a series of treads and risers hinged together, each tread and riser being flexible, and a headwheel around which the treads and risers are `flexed in passing from one run 'to the other, substantially as described.

3. In a stair-lift, the combination of a series of treads and risers, each tread and riser being flexible, a small wheel at one end of the stair-lift around which both the treads and risers are flexed, and aixed platform in close proximity to the treads and risers as they pass around the Wheel, substantially as described.

4. In astair-litt, .the combination-of anendless belt made up of .a series of flexible treads and irisers pivoted together, guides for the pivots, a drum at .the lower end of thestairway around which lthe treads and risers are flexed, a platform at -the ldrufm ifn-,closeproximity to the surface of the rbelt,.a's-rna;ll Wheel at :the head ofthe stair-liftzaro und which the treads and risers .are `flexed, anda fixedplatform in close proximity to the ibelt at the point Where it passes around the fheadwvheel, substantially as described.

5. In a-stair-lift, lthecomb'ilnation-of an endless band having .pivots at .given distances apa-rt to form treads and risers, .said ,band being flexible `between the zpi'vots'onlly in a vertical direction, whereby fthe Abandeau be flexed around guide-wheels, substantially as described.

The combinationinia stair-lift,fof1an endless flexible band,havin-gpivotsat given/dis- Etances apart, twoguideways, alternatepiyots adapted to one guidewayzandthe other pivots adapted to the'other gnideway, said :guideways merging vinto each otherateach'end of the `stairwayand*comrnuenicating with the re- -turrn-guideway, substantially as "described.

7. fIn astair-lift,fthecombinationof an endless band made up of `a series lof short enchained links pivoted at given distancesfapart, lthe bands being vertically flexible lbetween the pivots, with guides `whereby treads and risers are formed by guiding alternate :pivots out of line, .substantially as described.

S. Thecombination vin a stair-lift, of guide- `ways, D, D', D2, the guideways D Dilnergifng n-to each other at :the upper and :lower portions of the stairwayandicommunicating with the return-guideway D2, 'an idler a'tzthe lower portion of the stair-lift, a sprocket-wheelat .the upper portion rof the stair-lift, andaI flexible endless belt adapted -to the rollers fand adapted lto be flexed by the yguideways, 'substantially as described.

9. In a stair-lift, the combination of an endless band having pivots at vgiven .distances apart, said band being flexible between the pivots, guides for the pivots, `and al gap IOC IIO

endless iieXible band having pivots at given distances apart, tWo guideways, alternate pivots adapted to one guideway and the other pivots adapted to the other guideway, said guideWays merging into each other at each end of the stairway' and communicating with the return-guideway, a channel in one guideway into which one set of pivots extend, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ll. In astair-lift, the combination of guides, an endless belt having pivots at given distances apart and adapted to the guides, said guides being so formed that on the carrying run the endless belt Will be so arranged that the belt Will be formed into treads and risers and the risers Will be inclined throughout the carrying run of the stair-lift, whereby the horizontal distance between the steps Will be increased, substantiallyv as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a stair-lift, the combination ofguides, a series of treads and risers hinged together, forming an endless belt, means for driving said belt, each tread and riser being made up of a series of links hinged together so'that the said steps and risers Will be flexible, the upper surface of each link being curved, a head- Wheel around which the treads and risers are flexed, the curved surface of each link being such that a cylindrical surface Will be formed as the endless belt passes around the head- Wheel, and a platform in close proximity to the belt, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my narne to this specitioation in the presence of 35 two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES M. DODGE. Vitnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, Jos. H. KLEIN. 

